Detachable hanger loop for apparel

ABSTRACT

A detachable loop used to hang unconventional pieces of clothing on a conventional hanger hook. The product is primarily intended for strapless dresses. The first embodiment uses an open strap with magnets at each end. The strap can be secured by the magnets with the dress material between the magnets. Non-skid material may optionally coat the hanger grips. A second embodiment uses a clip at the ends of a closed loop. This product avoids the necessity of using the unsightly and uncomfortable hanger loops that are typically sewn into garments by manufacturers.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of apparel apparatus, particularly garment hangers.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many types of garment are difficult or impossible to hang from a conventional clothes hanger. Such garments include strapless dresses, garments with wide or irregular necklines, and garments made of delicate or intricate materials. Since these garments cannot fit over a hanger, manufacturers typically sew hanger loops into the upper interior. The loops are suspended from hanger hooks.

Sewn-in hanger loops are very convenient in the closet but very awkward during wear. The loops have a tendency to come out of the garment and dangle in an unsightly way.

This invention provides a detachable hanger loop. It is not part of a garment or a hanger, but a separate apparatus. The owner of a garment such as a strapless dress may cut the manufacturer's hanger loops out of her dress so that she never has to deal with them during wear. Then she can use this product to hang the dress conveniently on a conventional dress hanger.

3. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED TECHNOLOGY

The closet hanger is the subject of over 200 US patents. This product is not part of a hanger, but a separate item that is used in conjunction with a hanger.

In U.S. Pat. No. 2,657,844, Benjamin Weiss disclosed a “Garment hanger with magnetic action and the like.” Weiss's invention was a complete hanger with a hook and a yoke. (See Weiss patent, Column 1, lines 50-55). The yoke was made of a magnetic material. After a garment was draped over the hanger, magnets were placed over top of the garment. The magnetic attraction between the magnets and the magnetic yoke of the hanger held the garment securely in place. Note that Weiss's product could only be used for garments with shoulders that could be hung on a conventional hanger. It was useless for strapless dresses and similar garments as I described in paragraph 2 above.

4. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

My product takes the form of a strip or loop of flexible material such as fabric, polyester, or the like. It may be purchased as a stand-alone item, not part of a hanger or a garment.

In one embodiment, magnets are sewn into each end of the strip. When the two ends of the strip are brought together, the magnets attract each other and the strip becomes a closed loop. At the lower end of the loop, the garment is secured between the magnets. The upper end of the loop is draped over a hanger hook.

A second embodiment secures the garment with a clip instead of magnets.

5. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the first embodiment of the invention in open position.

FIG. 2 is a view of the first embodiment of the invention in closed position.

FIG. 3 shows the first embodiment of the invention in use on one shoulder of a strapless dress. The manufacturer's hanger loop is shown on the other shoulder for comparison.

FIG. 4 illustrates the first embodiment of the invention woven through thread loops on the inner lining of a dress.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the invention woven through thread loops on the inner lining of a dress.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 shows the first embodiment of the invention in use on one shoulder of a strapless dress. The manufacturer's hanger loop is shown on the other shoulder for comparison.

FIG. 9 is a cutaway view of the clip in the second embodiment of the invention, showing how the clip is secured by a grommet.

6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The first embodiment of the product takes the form of an open strap (10). The strap is made of flexible fabric such as cotton, polyester, rayon, etc. One magnet (11) is sewn into each end of the strap.

To facilitate sewing the magnets into the ends of the strap, the magnets may first be secured into plastic tabs, for example by heat sealing. One plastic tab (12) is then sewn into each end of the strap (10).

When it is time to hang a garment (13) such as a strapless dress, the center (14) of the strap is suspended over a hanger hook (15). Fabric on the garment is then secured between the two magnetic ends of the strap. For additional traction, the ends of the loop may be coated with a no-slip material.

With the use of this product, the garment owner may cut the manufactured hanger loops out of her dress so she never again has to deal with them while wearing the dress. By securing the fabric between two magnets, the loop causes no harm even to delicate fabrics.

Sometimes, thread loops (16) are sewn into the inner front side of a garment. Hanger loops attached to the rear can be threaded through the thread loop in front. This keeps the dress cinched tightly and upright during hanging, so that the front side does not droop. The strap (10) of my product may likewise be threaded through an existing thread loop in the dress to help the dress hang uniformly and upright.

The second embodiment of my product takes the form of a closed-loop strap (17) with an end clip (18). Each jaw (19) of the clip is sewn into one end of the strap. For maximum strength, a grommet (20) is positioned within a loop (21) on each jaw of the clip. When it is time to hang a garment, the closed-loop strap is suspended from a hanger hook, and the garment is secured within the clip. The clip may be more effective than the magnets for holding heavier garments or garments made of thicker fabric. 

I claim:
 1. A detachable hanger loop for apparel, comprising an open-ended strap and magnets sewn into each end of the strap.
 2. The detachable hanger loop as disclosed in claim 1, wherein the strap is made of a material chosen from the set of cotton, polyester, and rayon.
 3. The detachable hanger loop as disclosed in claim 1, wherein the magnets are heat-sealed within plastic tabs and then the tabs are sewn into the ends of the strap.
 4. The detachable hanger loop as disclosed in claim 3, wherein the strap is made of a material chosen from the set of cotton, polyester, and rayon.
 5. The detachable hanger loop for apparel as disclosed in claim 1, further comprising a non-slip material on each end of the strap.
 6. The detachable hanger loop as disclosed in claim 5, wherein the strap is made of a material chosen from the set of cotton, polyester, and rayon.
 7. The detachable hanger loop as disclosed in claim 5, wherein the magnets are heat-sealed within plastic tabs and then the tabs are sewn into the ends of the strap.
 8. The detachable hanger loop as disclosed in claim 7, wherein the strap is made of a material chosen from the set of cotton, polyester, and rayon.
 9. A detachable hanger loop for apparel, comprising a closed-loop strap; a clip with two jaws, with the rear end of each jaw sewn into one end of the closed-loop strap.
 10. The detachable hanger loop as disclosed in claim 9, wherein a grommet is inserted through each end of the strap and the rear end of each jaw of the clip contained within the strap.
 11. The detachable hanger loop for apparel as disclosed in claim 9, wherein the closed-loop strap is made of rayon or nylon.
 12. The detachable hanger loop for apparel as disclosed in claim 10, wherein the closed-loop strap is made of rayon or nylon. 